This is a Dark Twisted Ride
by Friend to All
Summary: The Halloween train only brings drama. Aria is stuck in a box with no hope of getting out. Jason is looking for answers but coming up short. Maybe with a little help from each other they can both find what they are looking for. AU 3x13


A/N: This story is an AU version of the season three Halloween episode. If you have read any of my stories you know how I love to fix things the way I think they should have gone. After Aria got locked in the box all I wanted was for Jason to save her. Obviously he did not. Therefore here I am using this disappointment as an opportunity to write. I still have yet to see anything in season three after it so nothing passed "This is a Dark Ride" is relevant to this story. I took some liberties with the last part instead of sticking to the script directly because I thought a few things would have changed if Jason was more involved. This story is actually born of one small comment on tumblr made while the episode was airing which I will put a link to on my profile.

Sorry for the long authors note but I felt some clarification was needed. As always please forgive any spelling or grammar errors and reviews would be greatly appreciated! I love feed back! =)

Dedication: To all the Jaria fans who wanted Jason to just go save Aria.

Warnings: Swearing.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended. This is not written for profit.

* * *

Talking with Lucas cleared absolutely nothing up for Jason and he was even more frustrated now then at the beginning of the night. Alison's body was still not in its proper resting place and not being able to take care of his sister even after her death was getting to him. Seeing Aria here tonight had only shaken his already frayed nerves. They had not spoken since the hospital when someone set fire to his house with Jenna Marshall inside. She looked beautiful as always but was once again out of arms reach for him. His only comfort tonight was Spencer. She did not jump his case about leaving so abruptly after the accident. Only concern laced his half-sister's words as they spoke and her care meant everything to him right now

Walking toward the back of the train to get some breathing space Jason found himself in a deserted car. Strangely the back door was locked but he figured that was a security measure for the luggage compartment. Something shiny caught his eye on the ground by his feet. Kneeling down he picked up a necklace and upon closer inspection he realized it was the same one Aria was wearing earlier in the night. Wondering why she would have been back here he began to look around and then his ears picked up the low murmuring of what sounded like an argument on the other side of the locked door. Something told him all was not well but he shook it off. He always felt like things were a little off.

His phone beeped alerting him to a new text message being received and brought him out of his musings. The phone number was blocked but that foreboding feeling was gnawing at him and Jason opened the message.

_Your damsel is in distress.  
__Here's your chance to be her knight in shining armor.  
__Better find her before it's too late.  
__-A_

"What the hell?" the low murmur slipped out unconsciously. He noticed then that the text also included an attached photo. Jason's eyes went wide when he realized exactly what the photo along with the message and that horrible sinking feeling meant. There on his phone was a picture of Aria passed out, gagged, and bound. Connecting the dots quickly along with the escalating sound of a box being moved in the next compartment Jason acted quickly. Dropping the necklace he grabbed the nearby fire extinguisher to break the glass and opening the lock moved quickly inside the new area.

By the time Jason found the open side door with a crate dangling precariously out, the previously arguing voices were gone. The muffled cries from within the box reached him then and his adrenaline spiked allowing him to pull the heavy crate back onto the train then close the side compartment door in a matter of moments. Searching his surrounding Jason found a hammer to pry open the box.

The moment he did and could see Aria he was reaching for her. Without hesitation she grabbed for him as well. She clung to him even after she was out. Jason held her and whispered low comforting words trying to calm them both.

"Jason? What are you doing back here?" He looked up to see Spencer, Hanna, and Emily had found their way back here. They all looked both curious and worried. More then likely they were all looking for their friend.

Shaking his head to show his own confusion Jason replied, " I got a weird text, then heard some arguing back here, and then found Aria in this box. Honestly, I'm just as lost as you three look."

The girls shared a look then walked over to them to check Aria who sill had yet to loosen her death grip on him. Not that Jason minded, she almost died tonight and as long as she would let him he was going to hold onto her.

Emily stopped dead looking toward the open crate with a horrified look twisting her features. "Please tell me she wasn't in that box."

The question of why died on Jason's lips the moment he looked into the crate he only moments ago pulled Aria from. The blood drained from his face as he stared into the cold dead eyes of a man that he once called friend, a man he believed killed his sister, Garrett Reynolds. Numbness settled over him as he felt both vindicated and sad looking at the corpse. Realizing he had yet to answer Emily Jason hugged Aria tighter and nodded his head to indicate that was exactly where he found her.

Ever the voice of reason Spencer spoke up, "We should get out of here and get the conductor or someone to call the police. They'll want to ask questions I'm sure and we should probably get them to send an ambulance to check Aria out just in case." Jason was grateful his little sister could keep a level head in stressful situations.

For the first time since getting out of the box Aria spoke up, turning her head toward the other girls but not moving from Jason's arms. "My wrists hurt and I'm probably in shock but I think I'm okay other wise."

"We should still have them check you Ar. Better safe then sorry." Hanna was worried for her friend and did not want anything bad to happen due to neglect.

"Okay," Aria agreed then leaning back a bit to look up at Jason, "You'll stay with me right?"

Either she was trying to tear his heart out or Aria was still afraid and clinging to him because he saved her. Fuck him, Jason was going with the latter because no one could look that desperate and scared on purpose. "Of course I will, for as long as you need me."

Leaning back into him she whispered a quiet thank you.

Smiling at them Spencer ushered them all out with a, "Let's get out of here then."

.~*~.

At the end of the line the police made sure no one left and sent them all to different cars. The paramedics tended Aria's wounds then the police took statements from all of them. All the while Jason stayed close to Aria and kept his arm around her after she was done with the EMT. This seemed to bring her some comfort as she had yet to cry or try to leave his side. Aria was right though, she was in shock. It showed when she gave her statement with a detached sort of calm.

Now they were all waiting for the cops to finish their questioning so they could be let off the train. Caleb, Toby, and Paige looked up as Aria and Jason approached. They too were anxious to know the tiny brunette was okay.

"Everything okay?" Emily this time voiced her concern for her friend.

Aria was becoming more articulate and animated again so she gave a slight smile and responded with a clear, "Yeah, just some bruised wrists." Even though she was doing better she still leaned into Jason's side. Although there were a few raised eyebrows and some silent glances among their audience as to what was going on between them neither took notice of the unspoken conversations.

Their little group huddled up beginning to talk about what happened tonight and how long the cops would keep them. Jason thought it strange that the others were so interested in the text he was sent but quickly came to the conclusion that it rolled into the other mysteries Spencer and the other girls were so pressed to figure out. Hanna was the one to point out they were under suspicion again. When questioned she brought up that everyone in the car had some connection to Garrett. This set all of them on edge and induced a tense silence.

Their attention shifted then as someone else was brought into the car on the end closest to them. Jason felt Aria stiffen beside him as Ezra stepped into the car. Surprisingly, she did not move from his side, in fact Aria pressed closer into him. When she spoke there was an edge to her voice that Jason had never heard before.

"You came? What are you doing here? I though you had a meeting?" Her curiosity and confusion bleed together with something else, suspicion Jason decided, in her words.

Ezra looked just as confused as Aria sounded and Jason felt. Apparently Ezra thought moving closer would get Aria to remove herself from Jason's arms. Answering her in a tone that spoke of controlled anger he answered her questions. "I did and I was waiting at the end of the line to surprise you when I heard what happened. Are you okay?" He walked closer once more as if to check for himself but still Aria did not budge.

Jason was dumbfounded. Aria's posture was relaxed now but she remained at his side. She was supposed to be running into her boyfriend's arms the minute he showed up, right?

"I'm okay. Just a few scrapes. Jason got there just in time." Aria looked up at Jason and smiled as she said the last sentence then turned her focus back to Ezra.

"Oh? What does that mean?" Still confused and becoming more upset as time passed Ezra struggled to understand why Aria was seeking comfort from Jason and not him.

"I was drugged and stuffed in a box then another body was dropped in, a dead Garrett Reynolds. Who ever did it then tried to push that box off the still moving train. Before they could get the crate out Jason showed up forcing them to scatter or be found out. He pulled the box back in and then me out of the box. He saved my life." This retelling of the nights events came in the same detached tone as her statement to the police up to the last four words. Aria's voice cracked then and her eyes watered. Without a second though she folded herself into Jason once again burring her face into his chest as she finally broke down and cried.

Even with his current audience Jason would not deny her as long as she needed him. Therefore he wrapped both arms tightly around her ignoring Ezra's angry glare. He whispered into her ear in a soft soothing tone, "I'm here. I've got you. You're alright." Over and over again until she calmed back down.

Just as Aria's tears subsided Noel, who was also brought into the train car along with Jenna Marshall, strode over to the group and decided to open his mouth. "Why don't you just confess already? So the rest of us can go home."

Jason's anger flared but his priority was Aria right now. Toby stepped up in is place. Moving forward and pushing Noel he threatened to silence the devious boy with his fists. Aria must have felt Jason tense as she pulled back from him. Jason looked down at her and she gave a small nod indicating he should help stop the shoving match that was about to escalate into a fight. He returned her nod and squeezed her arm for reassurance as he moved to break the fight up.

Something happened then that shocked them all. Toby shoved Noel once more knocking him into the drink serving table and forcing Lucas, who was observing quietly in the far corner, to dodge Noel's falling form. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the table tipped spilling the drinks, ice, and a black bag onto the floor. It was not just any black bag. It was a body bag from the local funeral parlor. There was no doubt whose body was inside. The cops moved quickly to contain the new crime scene and Jason did not realize he had not moved for several moments until Aria's slim arms wrapped around him from his side. Her petite body leaning into his both seeking and giving comfort. The police set to begin a whole new round of questioning after verifying that the body was in fact that of the late Alison DiLaurentis.

.~*~.

Hours later after many questions from both the police and Spencer Jason found himself at home. For once he was not alone though. Aria insisted she should stay with him tonight despite even Ezra's protest. Suffice it to say the teacher was in a full on rage by the time he left and Jason was bewildered in more than a few ways. His sister's body was there on the train all night and who knows how many hands were mere inches from her grabbing drinks. The body would be examined then reburied pending the investigation.

Somehow that was not what his psyche decided was the strangest thing for the night. No, it was definitely the fact that Aria Montgomery was curled up next tom him on his couch in some of his sweats and one of his old t-shirts content simply to lay in his arms. Hell, Spencer, Hanna, Emily and their respective significant others even helped convince Byron and Ella it would not only be beneficial to Jason for her to sleep over but also to Aria since she felt safest with him currently. That was how he found himself cuddled up with her now and even as part of him was happy that he could watch over her himself tonight another part of him fought to understand why she put her relationship in jeopardy for him.

Finally Aria broke the silence that reigned over them for the better part of the last few hours. Turning her face up to look at him in a quiet voice she spoke, "You must be wondering why I chose to stay beside you and come home with you tonight?"

Glad he was not the only one thinking about it Jason nodded. "Yeah, I don't mind being here for you by any means and the company is more then welcome; especially with everything that happened tonight. I'm still really confused though. We've barely spoken since I gave you the box of Ali's things and your boyfriend was there tonight. You practically shunned him for me on the train; which is the complete opposite of what happened that day." Jason gave a half-smile here, "I'm not going to lie, that does wonders for my wounded ego and normally I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth but honestly Aria why did you?" He searched her face looking for the answers hoping she would give them.

Aria gave him a soft smile and took a deep breath as her eyes began to water. "I was stuck in that box for a while even before Garrett was dropped in beside me." Her tears spilled over breaking Jason's heart for her all over again but she continued, "I was groggy but my mind was still functioning quickly, probably the adrenaline from being scared. I knew when I first woke up they, whoever put me in there, planned to kill me. Of all the mistakes I've made do you know which replayed over and over in my mind? Do you know who it was I wronged that I desperately wished to be able to see again just once more?"

Aria's eyes drifted from his as she spoke but when she questioned him those honey browns returned to gaze into his own insistently. When she stopped speaking all Jason could do was shake his head no. Even with the tears spilling down her face Aria was beautiful and the intensity with which she looked at him held Jason spell bound.

"It really is funny the way the mind works. Trapped inside a box and fighting for my life and all I can think about is that night when you kissed me." Jason's heart quickened at her words but she was not finished. "How I wished I'd kissed you back, kissed you longer, maybe even threw caution to the wind after I told you I was unavailable and turned around to kiss you again. I just wanted to see you, talk with you again, hug you. I don't really know what I wanted to do but I was so happy you were the on to pull me out." Hearing Aria say she regretted how the night he kissed her ended, and not because they kissed but exactly the alternate, made Jason want to kiss her now. The only thing that held him back was sheer force of will. She was still in shock and not thinking straight. He refused to take advantage of her vulnerability.

Seeming to understand that Jason was trying to wrap his mind around what she said Aria began talking again. "I know that right now I'm technically still with Ezra and even though he's angry right now I could easily fix things with him. What I'm saying is that I don't think I want to anymore. Not just because of whatever is between us that everyone apparently could see tonight if their help with my parents is any indication. But because it's what I feel is right for me. I want to be here for you even if you don't want me the same way anymore." Aria averted her eyes from his again, afraid of his response and shaking now because of the relived terror.

Jason wiped away her still lightly falling tears then cupped her face with one hand and tilted her head toward him. Gently he gave her a chaste kiss. Aria's eyes fluttered closed and stayed shut as he laid butterfly kisses on her cheeks, forehead, and nose. Her eyes opened once more when his forehead rested against her own. "Aria, I have a feeling I'll always want you. It means the world to me that I was the one on your mind and I'm glad I got you out. If anything would have happened to you tonight I don't know what I would have done." Aria's smile in response to his words made him regret that he had to say what came next. "Still, you're right. You are still with the teacher and I think we should both get some rest before we make any decisions after the kind of night we've had. I'll definitely take you up on that offer if it still stands in the morning."

Her face fell slightly but Aria knew Jason was right. "Okay, but can I make one request? One that might be over stepping my bounds just a little."

Again Jason nodded, happy she still had yet to move from within his arms. "Of course."

"Would you mind if I slept with you tonight? I know it's pushing it but I'm scared of what I'll see when I close my eyes." Her sincerity was conveyed in the widening of her eyes and the quivering of her voice but Jason still felt a little like putty in her hands.

"Yeah, I think that would be okay." There was no sense in either of them having unwanted nightmares when having the other next to them would keep the monsters at bay. At least that was what Jason told himself as they moved from the couch to his bed upstairs.

With the lights turned off and Aria curled against his chest breathing steadily in her slumber Jason let himself drift off as well. In the morning she may change her mind but for right now he is just glad they are both safe and alive. Alison was found and would hopefully soon be put back in her place of rest. Aria was in his bed and in his arms. For once all was right in the world for Jason DiLaurentis.


End file.
